Improvement in locks for fire-arms



W. H. BAKER. GunLoCk.

No. 40,809. Patented Dec 8, 1868.

N.PETER$, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, D O

WILLIAM H. BAKER, OF MARATHON, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN LOCKS FOR FIRE-ARMS;-

Specifioation forming part of Letters Patent No. 40,509, dated December 8, 1863.

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM H. BAKER, of Marathon, in the county of Cortland and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looks for Fire- Arms; and I do hereby declare that the same are described and represented in the following specification and drawings.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my improvements, I will proceed to describe their construction and operation,'referring to the drawings, in which the same lotters indicate like parts in each of the figures.

Figure 1 is an elevation of a lock with my improvements,showing the outside. Fig. 2is an elevation of the inside.

The nature of my invention and improvements in looks for fire-arms consists in combining with a cock or hammer which has its mainspring rigidly attached to it a swivel or link provided with notches for the sear to hold the hammer at full or half cock; also, in 6X tending an arm of the sear or link through the lock-plate to make a connection between the scar and the cock.

In the accompanying drawings, A is the lock-plate, made in the form shown, or such other form as will answer the purpose, and perforated as required for the screws and other parts applied to it.

B is the head of the hammer; (3, the comb; and the stock or shank is composed of the two springs D and E. These springs may be made in one piece or in separate pieces, and fastened to the head of the hammer; or the head and springs may all be made in one piece of metal. The end of the spring D is perforated for the screw F, which fastens it to the plate A and forms the pivot on which the hammer vibrates. The lower end of the spring E is flattened at a right angle to the upper portion, and bent or curved, as shown in the drawings, with a notch in its front edge for the lug G 011 the link orjswivel H. (Shown separately in Fig. 3.) This link H is made in the form shown, and one end is perforated for the pin I in the plate A, upon which pin the link vibrates or swings when the hammer vibrates, the lug G working in the notch made for it in the spring E. The link H has two notches in it, J and J, for the arm K of the sear L to catch in, which is made in the form shown in Fig. 4, and perforated for the screwM, which fastens it to the back side of the plate A, on which screw it vibrates. This searL is provided with an arm, N, for the trigger to release the hammer, and with an arm,K, on the opposite side and end, which arm works through a hole in the plate A, and catches into the notch J of the link H and holds the hammer at full-cock, and into the notch J and holds it at half-cock. The arm K of the sear is pressed into the notches in the link by the sear-spring P, which is made in the form shown in Fig. 5, and fastened to the plate A by the screw Q, and it is provided with a stud, R, which enters a mortise in the plate. WVhen the hammer is at full-cock and the arm K in the notch J, the lug G and screw F (on which the hammer vibrates) and pin I, on which the link H vibrates, are so near in range or line that the springs urge or press the hammer forward with but little force or light pressure, and when the hammer is at half-cock the lug, screw, and pin form a slight angle, and the hammer is pressed forward by the springs with more force, and when the hammer is down on the nipple the lug, screw, and pin form a much sharper angle, and the hammer is pressed forward onto the nipple with far greater power or force than it was pressed in any part of its vibration before it reached the nipple. In other words, the springs act on the hammer with a con stantly-increasing force or power from the time it leaves the full-cock until it strikes the nipple. As the spring presses verylightly on the hammer when at full cock, it requires but slight pressure on the trigger to fire the piece.

S S are screw-holes for fastening the lock to the stock.

I have described my improved lock with the link H on the outside of the lock-plate and an arm of the sear projecting through the plate; a

but I propose to put the link on the inside of the plate, and have an arm from the link or from the spring E of the cock to work through a slot in the lock-plate; and I further contemplate that the spring E may be made to go inside the plate,and the spring D outside, so as to avoid making a slot in the plate; or both of the springs D and E may be made to go on inside of the plate.

Fig. 6 shows a modification of the lock the link H on the inside of the plate A, an arm, S, of the link extending through plate to the spring E. V

2 QQLQIM) The link and sear L may be made in the as described, the swivel or link H, provided form shown in Fig. 6, or in such other form with notches for the sear to hold the hammer as will answer the purpose. at full or half cock.

I believe I have described and represented 2. In a look constructed as described, eX- my improvements in looks for fire-arms so as tending the arm of the sear or link through to enable any person skilled in the art to make the lock-plate to make a connection between and use them without further invention or eX- the sear and the cock.

periment.

I will now state what I desire to secure by VILLIAM B Letters Patent to wit: \Vitnesses:

1. In combination with a cock or hammer LYMAN ADAMS,

having its mainspring rigidly attached to it, JERRY SMITH. 

